Recapping Knights-Stars season series before playoff rematch
For the second straight series, the Golden Knights are playing a team they didn’t have much success against in the regular season.
Their six-game win against Edmonton in the second round shows how much that matters.
The Knights went 0-1-2 against the Stars, one of only three teams they were unable to beat, along with the New York Rangers and New York Islanders.
But that record contains caveats. The Knights lost two of those games in a shootout. They played all three without captain Mark Stone. Goaltender Adin Hill, their starter in the Western Conference Final, appeared in none.
That’s why the regular-season results should be taken with a grain of salt entering a series that appears to be close to even. Here’s a recap of the Knights and Stars’ meetings:
Jan. 16
Stars 4, Knights 0
T-Mobile Arena
The day began with Dallas coach Pete DeBoer calling the Knights’ rink “a special place” in his first visit since being fired by the team after last season. It ended with him chugging a beer in the visiting locker room.
The Stars made sure DeBoer’s return trip to T-Mobile Arena was a happy one by handing the Knights one of their two shutouts this season. Dallas got goals from captain Jamie Benn, left wing Joel Kiviranta, defenseman Ryan Suter and right wing Tyler Seguin, plus 27 saves from goaltender Jake Oettinger.
Coach Bruce Cassidy called the Knights’ performance “not NHL effort.” Their 16 scoring chances at five-on-five were tied for their ninth-fewest of the season, according to the website Natural Stat Trick.
The defeat was part of the Knights’ only three-game stretch in which they didn’t get at least a point.
Feb. 25
Stars 3, Knights 2 (SO)
T-Mobile Arena
The Knights’ first meeting with the Stars was a dud. Their second might have been the game of the year.
Oettinger and goaltender Laurent Brossoit took turns trading incredible saves in one of the finest goaltender duels in T-Mobile Arena history. It was only fitting their final lines were the same. Both stopped 41 of the 43 shots they faced, before Oetting prevailed by going 2-for-2 in the shootout. Left wing Jason Robertson and center Roope Hintz scored for Dallas.
Brossoit gave up a goal to Hintz that tied the game with 38 seconds remaining in regulation but then made a ridiculous save in overtime. He was down on the ice after stopping a shot from Robertson, then spun around to deny a rebound chance by Seguin with the back of his glove. It was a play even his counterpart could admire.
“Holy (expletive),” Oettinger said. “What a save. What a save. I’m sure that’ll be all over Instagram and stuff tonight.”
April 8
Stars 2, Knights 1 (SO)
American Airlines Center
It was Oettinger’s turn to make jaws drop in the final meeting.
The 24-year-old stretched as far as he could with his right leg in the final round of the shootout, denying left wing Paul Cotter’s attempt to tie the game with the toe of his skate. Oettinger said he “got lucky God gave me long legs.”
The spectacular save kept the Knights from winning their third-to-last game despite an impressive effort. They played hard with center Jack Eichel and defenseman Shea Theodore out with injuries, keeping Dallas’ vaunted top line off the scoresheet behind goaltender Jonathan Quick.
Left wing Brett Howden scored on a first-period breakaway. Kiviranta tied the game in the second, and Hintz got the only goal of the shootout.
Contact Ben Gotz at bgotz@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BenSGotz on Twitter.